Wives of Death
The Wives of Death (aka Nāves Sievas) is a cult of witches in the Emeron Campaign History The Nāves Sievas have dwelt in the portion of the Brokenback Swamps west of the Long River for generations. They are an all woman cult of witches who worship, and gain their magical powers from, a being called Veļu Māte (which translates to Mother of the Dead in Trade Tongue). They live in a small village called Nāves Ciems which they protect with illusions of large monsters that keep away most monsters and wanderers. Their group of warrior witches called Sargs keep away anyone who persists. The Wives of Death have their own language, called Zakiss. Because they are an all woman society the Nāves Sievas must seek outside resources to reproduce. Typically this is done when a woman is of child bearing age and is sent into the world to find a human capable of magical ability of some sort. She then would seduce him and get impregnated before leaving and returning to Nāves Ciems. Alternately if such a candidate comes too close to Nāves Ciems he will be captured by the Sargs and used to impregnate one or more witches before being sacrificed to Veļu Māte. Organization The Wives of Death are led by a witch that has the favor of Veļu Māte as determined and interpreted by their spiritual leader, called the Purvs Māte (which translates to Swamp Mother in Trade Tongue). This leader usually has more or less absolute control over the cult, though the word of the Purvs Māte carries an enormous amount of influence and disagreements between the two usually saw the leader backing down, being replaced or being killed. The Purvs Māte is a witch of particular skill and devotion who is selected by a previous Purvs Māte to be trained by her. The Purvs Māte bonds with a very powerful pink orb called the Heart of the Swamp. This blinds her for life, but allows her to see visions of the past, present and possible futures with the orb. The Purvs Māte is the most respected and venerated person in Nāves Sievas society. The wives are death are solitary to the point of xenophobia. Anyone considered part of the Wives of Death will be protected no matter the cost, however no one is allowed to leave the Wives of Death, and attempts to do so are often met with death. Women who leave the village to become pregnant and do not return are hunted down and offered a choice: return (along with any female children they may have produced) or die. There are no alternate options. Events In the spring of 1159 Nāves Ciems became suddenly beset upon by numerous ills all at once. The good water had gone bad, the edible vegetation was dying, a plague swept through the village. Animals and sometimes even plants attacked the village damaging several of the buildings. The Purvs Māte was aware that it is someone turning nature against them, and the rough area where they were but the Heart of the Swamp ''was being magicaly blocked. Britta, the coven's leader, led a party of Sargs there but did not return. She did state that she saw Zenga, who had left to become impregnated, resolving the issue and defeating the source, though she could not see any details of how. She stated that Zenga and a group of people linked to her would be nearby soon. Britta's daughter, Bolbjora, took command as acting leader and dispatched a group of Sargs to collect Zenga and bring her and her companions back to Nāves Ciems. The Purvs Māte privately told Zenga she knew that she had no intent to become impregnated or return to Nāves Ciems. She offered to perform the unprecedented act of allowing Zenga to leave the Wives of Death forever if she resolved the attacks on the village. Zenga and the Joined of Vesper agreed and departed for the area indicated by the Purvs Māte. Destruction Zenga and the Joined of Vesper traveled to the area and found that the source of the attacks was a druid named Farian, who was actually Zenga's father. Farian had met Zenga's mother, a Wife of Death named Treanna who decided to run away, but the Wives came after them, killing Tranna and their son Janis and mortally wounding Farian. He had claimed a source of power that allowed him to control nature in the area and attack Nāves Ciems, though he could not directly control the animals in the village due to the ''Heart of the Swamp. Farian asked Zenga and the Joined to destroy the Heart of the Swamp so that he could control animals directly in the village and destroy the Wives of Death. The Joined of Vesper tried to dissuade Farian from his task, urging him to give up the power he'd claimed but he said he would not do so until the Wives of Death were all slain. The Joined reluctantly agreed to do so but only after eliciting a grudging promise from Farian not to kill any of the children in the village. Assisted by a Browncloak Druid named Audura who was sent to ensure Farian gave up the power he'd claimed, the Joined of Vesper fought the Purvs Māte, slaying her and destroying the Heart of the Swamp. Not trusting Farian to keep his word though they ran hastened to Nāves Ciems, which was five miles away from the Purvs Māte's cabin. By the time the Joned reached the village all of the inhabitants were dead, even the children. Only the mortally wounded Bolbjora clung to life, calling Zenga "the betrayer." Zenga called Bolbjora pathetic and finished her off.'' Category:Emeron Category:Organizations